Tuesday, February 16, 1999 Published at 22:04 GMTWorld: Asia-PacificHappy Year of the RabbitDrum dancers performing in a Beijing parkThe Chinese-speaking world has welcomed the Year of
the Rabbit with fireworks, dragon dances and hopes for
an end to Asia's economic troubles.

In China, tens of millions swarmed to traditional temple fairs to watch annual dance rituals or stayed at home to savour dumplings, fish and sweet rice cakes.

This year more Chinese residents welcomed the New Year with fireworks as several major cities in the north relaxed a five-year ban imposed for safety reasons.

Lighting joss sticks at Longhua Temple in Shanghai

However, official figures show that some 96 people died in firework-related
accidents in the two months prior to the New Year.

But residents of the capital, Beijing, still had to travel to the suburbs to
see organised displays - although in the city itself the sound of fire-crackers through the night made it clear that not all were observing the ban.

Many Chinese took advantage of a seven-day,
government-ordered holiday and travelled to their home towns.

In the southern province of Guandung state media said some 24 million journeys had been made in recent days as people travelled to be with their relatives.

The year will be marked by important events
for China, including the 50th anniversary of the founding of the
People's Republic and the handover of Macao.

But China must first navigate through what officials have
called the "sensitive period" in early June around the 10th anniversary of Tiananmen Square killings, as well as the 40th
anniversary in March of an anti-Chinese uprising in Tibet.